Judy
Judy Garland died 50 years ago this summer. Texan Renee Zellweger was two months old. "Judy" is a love letter to the iconic singer, and Zellweger has never been better. The film is set in 1969.
Garland is down on her luck and her money, and she could lose her kids, so she agrees to a series of shows in London where she sometimes dazzles but often flounders in a blur of booze and pills. Renee has been low-profile for several years, and that time of renewal served her well, because she's so relaxed in the role. She trained for a year and a half to get Judy's voice down, but it's more than that. She inhabits her personae in the kind of performance they give Oscars for.
One of my favorite new actresses, Jessie Buckley plays her supportive British assistant perfectly, and Finn Wittrock is the charmer has her fifth husband. I'm on the fence whether the director should have included the "Wizard of Oz" flashbacks and her abuse by studio giant Louis B. Mayer, but for those unaware, they serve a purpose. There's also a sweet tribute to Garland's gay fan base, but I won't give away that storyline. Go see this film, but be prepared to leave the theater in tears.
Roadside Attractions - Rated PG-13
Abominable
Dreamworks/Universal has a lot to live up to, having just wrapped its gorgeous and heartfelt "How To Train Your Dragon" franchise. "Abominable" goes a long way toward keeping that legacy going. A teen girl named Yi discovers a runaway yeti on her apartment rooftop in Shanghai, and she and her friends embark on a journey to take him home to the Himalayas before a scientist who's after him, catches up.
Yi's late father inspired her to play violin, a talent she's hidden away until the yeti coaxes her to play, and her playing brings out the magic in him. "Abominable" is by Jill Culton, the first woman to be the sole writer/director for a major animated release. Kudos to her. It's a beautiful film.
Dreamworks Animation/Universal Pictures - Rated PG
